A guide extension catheter includes a push member and a distal shaft. The push member includes a segment having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The segment includes a groove in the first surface. The second surface is substantially flat. The distal shaft is coupled to the push member and includes a passageway. The segment of the push member including the groove is adjacent to the distal shaft.

Apparatus and methods for an endovascular catheter that can be inserted within tortuous body anatomies and then selectively stiffened and fixed in place. In a particular embodiment, this stiffness is reversible. The stiffness or a comparable mechanical characteristic of the catheter assembly may be adjusted to a relatively low value during insertion (so that it easily navigates a guide wire or the like), and then subsequently adjusted to a relatively high value in situ to keep the catheter assembly substantially fixed in place (i.e., during delivery of an interventional device).

An intravascular device delivery system has an elongated member with a flexible hypotube. The hypotube can be rotationally keyed to a steerable catheter. The flexible hypotube includes one or more cuts to allow bending of the flexible hypotube within a first plane. The steerable catheter is steerable to bend the flexible hypotube within the first plane, and longitudinally movable relative to the flexible hypotube to allow distal movement of the steerable catheter relative to a distal end of the flexible hypotube.

A lead-in-lead system may include a first implantable lead having a first electrode and a second implantable lead having a second electrode guided by the first implantable lead to an implantation site. The second electrode may be implanted in a patient's heart distal to the first electrode at the same implantation site or at a second implantation site. Various methods may be used to deliver the lead-in-lead system to one or more implantation sites including at the triangle of Koch for ventricle-from-atrium (VfA) therapy, at the right ventricular septal wall for dual bundle-branch pacing, or in the coronary vasculature for left side sensing and pacing.

Systems, methods and devices are described including a medical device subassembly including a magnetic feature. Systems include such a catheter adapter subassembly or needle subassembly or guidewire introducer subassembly and a wire including a magnetic feature, and relative movement of the catheter adapter subassembly or needle subassembly or guidewire introducer subassembly and the wire can be determined using an magnetometer.

A system can include a housing that can be coupled with a base catheter. The system can further include an access catheter of which a first portion is positioned within the housing and a second portion extends out of the housing through an opening when the access catheter is in a retracted position. The system can further include a stiffener encompassing at least a portion of the second portion of the access catheter, and the stiffener can be graspable at an exterior of the housing for application of force thereto to advance the access catheter from the retracted position to an extended position. When the housing is coupled to the base catheter, the first portion of the access catheter can be advanced through at least a portion of the base catheter as the access catheter is advanced to the extended position.

An apparatus and method of manufacture includes a helical wire coil and a core wire. The core wire has a first wire portion and a second wire portion. The first wire portion of the core wire extends through the helical wire coil. The second wire portion of the core wire is intertwined with the first helical wire coil to fixedly secure the core wire relative to the first helical wire coil. The core wire is formed from a first material that is non-extensible. The core wire is fixedly secured relative to a distal portion of the helical wire coil such that the core wire inhibits longitudinal elongation of the helical wire coil along a longitudinal coil axis.

An endotracheal tub includes at least one main tubular body, which is configured for at least partial insertion into the respiratory tract of a patient, through the mouth or the nose. The tube includes at least one tubular reinforcement skeleton for the body. At least one useful portion of the skeleton is constituted by at least one first filament which is wound in a helical manner around the longitudinal axis of the body and is selectively disengageable from the body. Such disengagement enables its removal after the completion of the step of insertion of the body into the respiratory tract of the patient.

In various embodiments, an improved catheter insertion device is described that provides an improved flashback response and use for deep vein access. In various embodiments, the improved flashback response comprises two separate and distinct flash events, the first indicating insertion of a cannula in a blood vessel, and a second indicating insertion of a catheter in the blood vessel. The two flash responses are made possible by a combination of features provided on the cannula, such as including a view window in the cannula and a flat relief portion on the outer surface of the cannula at the distal opening.

Disclosed is a catheter insertion assembly that includes an arterial lumen having a first stylet embedded therein and a venous lumen having a second stylet embedded therein, The stylets extend beyond the proximal and distal ends of each of the lumens. The second stylet of the venous lumen includes an aperture near the distal end thereof so as to receive the distal end of the first stylet of the arterial lumen therethrough, thereby connecting the venous and arterial lumens temporarily together when the catheter is being inserted into a patient. In this way, the stylets increase column strength for dual-tip catheters.